PRESIDENT BUSH: It's a great honor for me to welcome
President Vladimir Putin to the White House, and to welcome his wife as
well. This is a new day in the long history of
Russian-American relations, a day of progress and a day of hope.

The United States and Russia are in the midst of a transformation
of a relationship that will yield peace and progress. We're
transforming our relationship from one of hostility and suspicion to
one based on cooperation and trust, that will enhance opportunities for
peace and progress for our citizens and for people all around the
world.

The challenge of terrorism makes our close cooperation on all
issues even more urgent. Russia and America share the same
threat and the same resolve. We will fight and defeat
terrorist networks wherever they exist. Our highest priority is to
keep terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction.

Today, we agreed that Russian and American experts will work
together to share information and expertise to counter the threat from
bioterrorism. We agreed that it is urgent that we improve the physical
protection and accounting of nuclear materials and prevent illicit
nuclear trafficking.

And we will strengthen our efforts to cut off every possible source
of biological, chemical and nuclear weapons, materials and
expertise. Today, we also agreed to work more closely to
combat organized crime and drug-trafficking, a leading source of
terrorist financing.

Both nations are committed to the reconstruction of Afghanistan,
once hostilities there have ceased and the Taliban are no longer in
control. We support the UN's efforts to fashion a
post-Taliban government that is broadly based and
multi-ethnic. The new government must export neither terror
nor drugs, and it must respect fundamental human rights.

And Russia and the United States -- as Russia and the United States
work more closely to meet new 21st century threats, we're also working
hard to put the threats of the 20th century behind us once and for
all. And we can report great progress.

The current levels of our nuclear forces do not reflect today's
strategic realities. I have informed President Putin that
the United States will reduce our operationally deployed strategic
nuclear warheads to a level between 1,700 and 2,200 over the next
decade, a level fully consistent with American security.

Russia and the United States have also had vast discussions about
our defensive capabilities, the ability to defend ourselves as we head
into the 21st century. We have different points of view
about the ABM Treaty, and we will continue dialogue and discussions
about the ABM Treaty, so that we may be able to develop a new strategic
framework that enables both of us to meet the true threats of the 21st
century as partners and friends, not as adversaries.

The spirit of partnership that now runs through our relationship is
allowing the United States and Russia to form common approaches to
important regional issues. In the Middle East, we agree that
all parties must take practical actions to ease tensions so that peace
talks can resume. We urge the parties to move without delay
to implement the Tenet work plan and the Mitchell Report
recommendations.

In Europe, we share a vision of a European Atlantic community
whole, free and at peace; one that includes all of Europe's
democracies, and where the independence and sovereignty of all nations
are respected. Russia should be a part of this Europe.

We will work together with NATO and NATO members to build new
avenues of cooperation and consultation between Russia and
NATO. NATO members and Russia are increasingly allied
against terrorism, regional instability, and other threats of our
age. And NATO must reflect this alliance.

We're encouraged by President Putin's commitment to a political
dialogue in Chechnya. Russia has also made important strides
on immigration and the protection of religious and ethnic minorities,
including Russia's Jewish community. On this issue, Russia
is in a fundamentally different place than it was during the Soviet
era. President Putin told me that these gains for freedom
will be protected and expanded.

Our Foreign Ministers have sealed this understanding in an exchange
of letters. Because of this progress, my administration will
work with Congress to end the application of Jackson-Vanik Amendment to
Russia.

Russia has set out to strengthen free market institutions and the
rule of law. On this basis, our economic relationship is
developing quickly, and we will look for further ways to expand it.

A strong, independent media is a vital part of a new
Russia. We've agreed to launch a dialogue on media
entrepreneurship, so that American and Russian media representatives
can meet and make practical recommendations to both our governments, in
order to advance our goal of free media, and free exchange of ideas.

Russia and the United States will continue to face complex and
difficult issues. Yet, we've made great progress in a very
short period of time. Today, because we are working
together, both our countries and the world are more secure and safe.

I want to thank President Putin for the spirit of our meetings.
Together, we're making history, as we make progress. Laura
and I are looking forward to welcoming the Putins to our ranch in
Crawford, Texas. I can't wait to show you my state, and
where I live. In the meantime, I hope you have a fine stay
here in Washington, D.C. And it's my honor to welcome you to
the White House, sir, and welcome you to the podium.

PRESIDENT PUTIN: Ladies and gentlemen, I don't know
whether I would have an opportunity to address such a representative
audience of the press and media. I would like to begin,
anyway, with a thanks to the President of the United States, not only
for his kind invitation to visit the United States and Washington, but
also for his very informal initiation of our negotiations earlier
today. Myself and my colleagues are very pleased to be here,
this historic building of the White House. And President
Bush deemed it appropriate not only to tour me, to guide me through the
premises of this house, where he lives, he -- saw almost every picture
hanging on the walls of this great building.

It's not only very interesting, but it is not only very
interesting, but it also changes for the better the quality of our
relationship.

I would like to once again thank the President and the American
people, and I would like to express our condolences in connection with
the recent plane crash in the United States. As they say in
Russia, tragedy does not come alone. And tragedies always
come in many numbers. I am confident that the U.S. --
American people would face this tragedy very bravely.

I would like to inform you that the Washington part of our
negotiations is being completed and our discussions proved very
constructive, interesting and useful and will continue at
Crawford. But the preliminary results we evaluate as
extremely positive.

This is our fourth meeting with President Bush in the last few
months. I believe this is a vivid demonstration of the dynamic nature
of the Russian-American relations. We have come to
understand each other better and our positions are becoming closer on
the key issues of bilateral and international relations.

We are prepared now to seek solutions in all areas of our joint
activities. We intend to dismantle conclusively the vestiges
of the Cold War and to develop new -- entirely new partnership for long
term.

Of course, we discussed in detail the subject matter of fight
against terrorism. The tragic developments of September 11th
demonstrated vividly the need for a joint effort to counter this global
threat. We consider this threat as a global threat, indeed,
and the terrorists and those who help them should know that the justice
is inescapable and it will reach them, wherever they try to hide.

Also, post-crisis political settlement in Afghanistan was
discussed. The most important thing for today is to return peace and
the life and honor to Afghanistan, so that no threat originate from
Afghanistan to the international stability. Of course, we do
not intend to force upon the Afghani people the solutions; it is for
them to resolve those issues with the active participation of the
United Nations.

We discussed in detail our dialogue related to strategic offensive
and defensive weapons. Here, we managed to achieve certain
progress. First of all, it has to do with the prospects of
reaching a reliable and verifiable agreement on further reductions of
the U.S. and Russian weapons.

Here I must say, we appreciate very much the decision by the
President to reduce strategic offensive weapons to the limits indicated
by him. And we, for our part, will try to respond in kind.

On the issues of missile defense, the position of Russia remains
unchanged. And we agreed to continue a dialogue and
consultations on this. I believe that it's too early now to draw the
line under the discussions of these issues, and we will have an
opportunity to continue the work on this -- one of the very difficult
issues at the Crawford ranch.

We also exchanged on a number of topical issues of international
importance: the Balkans, Iraq, and we reiterated in a joint
statement the resolve of the United States and Russia to facilitate
settlement in the Middle East and the early resumption of negotiations
between Israelis and Palestinians.

We also discussed seriously the development of relations between
Russia and NATO, including, taking into account a changed international
situation. We consider that there are opportunities for an
entirely new mechanism, joint decision-making and coordinated action in
the area of security and stability.

We considered in detail a number of economic cooperation
issues. The Russian-American dialogue in this area has
become recently more constructive and more tangible. Such
major investment projects as Sakhalin I and Caspian Pipeline Consortium
are gaining momentum. Successful is cooperation in the
airspace, mining, chemistry, car building and other industries.

Direct contacts are expanding between entrepreneurs of the two
countries, including within the Russian-American business
dialogue. It is with satisfaction that we note a certain
progress in issues related to the Russia's accession to the
WTO. In recognizing Russia as a market economy country, and
we've felt a great degree of understanding that such issues should be
resolved, I mean, dealing with the Jackson-Vanik amendment, not de
facto, but in legal terms. And in this context, our Foreign
Minister and the Secretary of State, Messrs. Ivanov and Powell
exchanged letters reiterating the resolve of Russia and the United
States to observe human rights and religious freedoms.

Of course, the capabilities imbedded in the bilateral relationship
have not been fully implemented. The key -- we have quite a
lot of things to do, but we are confident that the success is by and
large predetermined by our resolve to cooperate energetically and
constructively. That, and I'm confident, would benefit both
countries. And which is reflected, also, in our visit to
this country today.

Thank you.

Q Mr. President, welcome to the White House,
sir. Mr. President, the Northern Alliance forces took over
Kabul, and there are reports of executions of POWs and other violent
reprisals. Can the Alliance be trusted to form a broad-based
government? If not, what should happen next to stabilize
Afghanistan, and what role, if any, should U.S. troops play in that
political phase?

PRESIDENT BUSH: First of all, we're making great
progress in our objective, and that is to tighten the net and
eventually bring al Qaeda to justice, and at the same time, deal with
the government that has been harboring them.

President Putin and I spent a lot of time talking about the
Northern Alliance and their relationship to Kabul, as well as Mazar-e
Sharif and other cities that have now been liberated from the
Taliban. I made it very clear to him that we would continue
to work with the Northern Alliance to make sure they recognized that in
order for there to be a stable Afghanistan, which is one of our
objectives, after the Taliban leaves, that the country be a good
neighbor, that they must recognize that a future government must
include a representative from all of Afghanistan.

We listened very carefully to the comments coming out of the
Northern Alliance today. And they made it very clear they
had no intention of occupying Kabul. That's what they
said. I have seen reports, which you refer to, and I also
saw a report that said, on their way out of town the Taliban was
wreaking havoc on the citizenry of Kabul. And if that be the
case -- I haven't had it verified one way or the other -- but I
wouldn't be the least bit surprised. After all, the Taliban
has been wreaking havoc on the entire country for over a decade, this
has been on of the most repressive regimes in the history of
mankind. And -- but we will continue to work with our
Northern Alliance -- with the Northern Alliance commanders to make sure
they respect the human rights of the people that they are liberating.

I also saw reports -- and I think President Putin mentioned this
today as well -- that in some of the northern cities, there was great
joyous -- a wonderful joyous occasion as the citizens were free, free
from repression, free from a dictatorial government. But we
are both mindful and particularly mindful of the need for us to work
with our Northern Alliance friends to treat people with respect.

PRESIDENT PUTIN: All of our actions were aimed at
liberating the northern parts of Afghanistan and the capital of
Afghanistan, liberate from the Taliban regime. And any
military action is accompanied not only by the military resistance, but
also an information resistance. What we are witnessing right
now, exactly.

We tend to forget now the destruction of the cultural heritage of
humankind. We tend to forget now the atrocities by
Taliban. And we are talking less than usual of the Taliban
harboring international terrorism. The information that Northern
Alliance are shooting -- are shooting the prisoners of war was launched
a few days ago. The Northern Alliance was not in Kabul a few
days ago; they were liberating northern parts of the country.

And for those who do not know, I will tell, the northern part of
the country is inhabited by the ethnic groups represented in the
Northern Alliance, I mean, Uzbeks and Tajiks. It is very
difficult for me to imagine them shooting their own
population. I utterly exclude this. If there are
any instances in the course of the military action of the violation of
human rights and treatment of the prisoners of war, we must investigate
and take action. But we need proof.

Talking of this, we should not forget the things that we see, the
way people meet advancing Northern Alliance troops, liberating the
cities and villages of the Taliban. The women getting rid of
chadors and burning them. And this, I would like you, ladies
and gentlemen of the press, to pay attention to.

Thank you.

Q Specific numbers were mentioned here with
regard to the reductions of offensive weapons. When, and if
at all, one could expect that such specific numbers made public be
substantiated by some papers, maybe during a possible visit by
President Bush to Moscow? And by the way, when could this
visit take place?

PRESIDENT BUSH: Got to get invited
first. (Laughter.)

Do you want to start?

PRESIDENT PUTIN: President Bush is aware of
that. And I would like to reiterate, he has an open
invitation to visit the Russian Federation, with an official working or
a private visit, in any format, at any time convenient for
him. I mean, the best time would be during the time of the
beginning of the year, White Nights in St. Petersburg. Of
course, the official part would start in Moscow in the capital of the
Russian Federation.

But as for the business part, I think that before that time, our
advisors will continue working. And we, for our part, for
the Russian part, are prepared to present all our agreements in a
treaty form, including the issues of verification and control.

PRESIDENT BUSH: I think it's interesting to note that a
new relationship based upon trust and cooperation is one that doesn't
need endless hours of arms control discussions. I can
remember watching the news, years ago, and seeing that people would sit
at tables for hours and hours and hours trying to reach reduced levels
of nuclear armament.

My attitude is, here's what we can live with. And so
I've announced a level that we're going to -- that we'll stick
by. To me, that's how you approach a relationship that is
changed, and different. And we'd be glad to -- and I looked
the man in the eye and shook his hand, and if we need to write it down
on a piece of paper, I'll be glad to do that. But that's
what our government is going to do over the next 10 years.

And we don't need an arms control agreement or an arms control --
let me say this -- we don't need arms control negotiations to reduce
our weaponry in a significant way. And today you've now
heard for the first time the level that I think is commensurate with
the spirit of reducing our own weaponry, and at the same time, keeping
the peace.

Q You mentioned vast discussions on the ABM
Treaty. What progress are you making? And are you
convinced you won't have to withdraw from the treaty now?

PRESIDENT BUSH: Well, I'm convinced that the treaty is
outdated and we need to move beyond it. And we're having
discussions along those lines. We had good discussions today; we had
good discussions in Shanghai; we had good discussions in Slovenia; and
we'll have good discussions in Crawford. This is obviously a subject
that's got a lot of ramifications to it. I clearly heard
what the President has had to say and his view of the ABM Treaty; he's
heard what I've had to say. And we'll continue working it.

But my position is, is that it is a piece of paper that's codified
a relationship that no longer exists -- codified a hateful
relationship. And now we've got a friendly
relationship. And I think we need to have a new strategic
framework that reflects the new relationship, based upon trust and
cooperation. But we'll continue to work it.

Q A question to President
Bush. His advisors expressed concern over the situation with
the freedom of speech in Russia. But after September 11th,
it would seem to me that the situation is changing somewhat in the
United States, too. There are special rules for covering --
anti-terrorist operation, bin Laden is denied any opportunity to
present his views in the media, quite appropriately, in my
view. And so on and so forth.

The authority of the special services have been extended, and there
have been rumors that some of your members of your administration went
to Hollywood explaining to them a few things. Where is the
line in the sand where -- beyond which it is impossible to cross,
delineating a voluntary restraint on the part of the media and --

PRESIDENT BUSH: Yes. First of all, I have
been trying to tame our press corps ever since I got into politics, and
I've failed miserably. (Laughter.) They get to express
their opinions, sometimes in the form of news -- (laughter) -- any way
they want to.

I asked them the other day, would it be okay if I cut a 30-minute
tape, a piece of propaganda, no questions, just here -- here it is,
here's 30 minutes of me talking; please run it, not only across your
airwaves but run it internationally, if you don't mind; I've got
something to say about the conflict and our fight against
evil. They said, no, they're not going to do
that. If I'm going to get on the news, they've got to ask me
questions.

And so we extended the same courtesy to Osama bin
Laden. He doesn't get to just cut a 30-minute tape where he
may be calling his soldiers to action, where he is definitely
condemning all Jews, Christians, threatening individuals, to be able to
put a 30-minute propaganda tape on the free airwaves. And we
made that suggestion; we didn't dictate, we just
suggested. And some of the news organizations -- or all the
news organizations readily agreed that was a responsible posture to
take. And for that, I'm grateful.

But the press in America has never been stronger, and never been
freer, and never been more vibrant. Sometimes, to my
chagrin, and a lot of times to my delight. But whoever
thinks that I have the capability, or my government has the capability,
of reining in this press corps simply doesn't understand the American
way.

PRESIDENT PUTIN: I would also offer a couple of
words. Today, giving a rostrum to international terrorists
would be equal to giving an opportunity to -- newspapers of the second
world wartimes to an opportunity to print Dr. Goebbels'
articles. This question could be termed in the following
way: What is the limit and what is the measure of giving an
opportunity to the terrorists and destructive element to use media in
pursuit of their anti-human, inhuman, objectives? Let's look
at it this way.

Q Yes, sir, Mr. President, thank
you. If I could return to the situation in Afghanistan,
where the concern seems to be a potential breakdown in civil order, and
a possible dramatic increase in civil conflict between the tribes in
the Northern Alliance and other groups, which President Putin's country
has experience with, what specifically can be done in the next several
days to ensure the safety of the citizens of Kabul? And does
the Northern Alliance, now that they've taken that city, enjoy pride of
place at the bargaining table in the future of Afghanistan?

PRESIDENT BUSH: There is no preferential place at the
bargaining table. All people will be treated the
same. That's what we're working with our friends, the
Russians, on. That's the concept we're working on with the
UN. And that's only fair. That's been the vision
all along. That's been the vision we talked about in Shanghai; it's
the vision we have shared again today.

Secondly, I repeat, the Northern Alliance, with whom President
Putin has got some influence and I've got some influence, has told us
both they have no intention of occupying -- and
they said this publicly -- they intend not to occupy Kabul, which is
fine. That's the way it ought to be. And we will continue
to work with their commanders. We've got troops there with
their commanders, and we will continue to urge restraint.

Again, I think before we jump to conclusions, we want to make sure
we understand what the facts are, because the evacuating army has been
one that has held this country -- has terrorized this country for a
long period of time. But any -- regardless of that, any --
any -- army, advancing or retreating, needs to treat people with
respect. And we will continue to work that they do so.

PRESIDENT PUTIN: Well, the thing is that the Northern
Alliance did not take Kabul by storm. The Northern Alliance
is looming over -- has been looming over Kabul for a long
time. That was our mutual agreement with President
Bush. And suddenly they discovered, all of a sudden, that
Kabul had been abandoned, and they had to insert their certain security
elements to prevent looting and robberies and
murders. There was complete lawlessness in that city and the
situation must be put under control and it was very
difficult. It would be very difficult for us if we -- to
meet with the Northern Alliance leaders to tell them that they've
negated their obligation.

The city of Kabul was abandoned by Taliban. They were
trying to preserve their manpower and their equipment, a very cunning
move on the part of Taliban. Maybe, technically, their
decision was right. But we should not be deluded on that
score. Quite a serious amount of work is still
ahead. They did not disappear; they just moved out of the
city a few kilometers from there, and I am absolutely in agreement with
the President on the need to follow the developments with a view to
preventing abuses of human rights and maltreatment of the POWs,
although the line we agreed upon has not been yet reached.

Dear colleagues, the final question.

Q Two questions to two
Presidents. Mr. Bush, what is your evaluation of the
situation in Pakistan, which was always in the sphere of influence of
the United States, and whether there are any dangers that the forces up
in opposition to General Musharraf would gain control of the nuclear
weapons?

And to President Putin, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan made available
their airbases and their air corridors to the United States armed
forces, giving the green light. Can you tell us whether you
gave a green light to that? Aren't you apprehensive of the struggle
for power and influence in that area?

PRESIDENT BUSH: I had a very good dinner with President
Musharraf last Saturday night in New York City. It was the
first time I had met him. My Secretary of State had met him in
Pakistan, as had my Secretary of Defense and other officials in my
administration. All of us came away with our respect for
President Musharraf and our desire to make sure that his administration
is successful in Pakistan.

The best way to make sure that terrorists do not end up with
nuclear weaponry in that part of the world is for President Musharraf
to provide a stable government and to fulfill what he said he would do,
which is to have elections in a short period of time. And I
believe he is -- he deserves our nation's support, and so we are
putting together an economic package that will help him with debt, help
him with the expenses of the ongoing operations, helping with
trade. And we will continue a dialogue with the Pakistan
leader, with the full intent of finding ways we can cooperate, in order
to bring stability to that part of the world.

Q With regard to the possible redrawing of
the spheres of influence, and the enhanced American influence in
Central Asia, I would like to say the following: I am more
concerned with the presence of the terrorist training camps in the
Northern Afghanistan, who send guerrillas to the Caucasus -- have been
sending in the recent years, after Ahmad Shah Massoud was killed, I had
a very, very sad feeling. That was prior to September
11th. And I told President Bush at that time that perhaps
some serious developments are in the making. And this is
concerning -- this concerns me very much.

If we look at the relationship between the Russian Federation and
the United States from the old standpoint, distrust and the enmity,
that's one thing. If we are looking through the prism of
partnership and alliance, we have nothing to be afraid
of. This is one thing.

Secondly, one shouldn't forget that both Uzbekistan and Tajikistan
are independent states and decide, therefore, in policies
independently, who cooperate with and at which level. But
focusing my attention at the following circumstance, and I related to
President Bush quite frankly. We just mentioned President
Musharraf. We all should support President
Musharraf. This would be the right thing to
do. And we agree with this, and we accept this.

It is also true that American flags are being burned in the streets
of the Pakistani cities; one should not leave that
unnoticed. In Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, the Muslim
countries, too, American flags are not being
burned. Moreover, those countries cooperate, for the first
time, so openly and so consistently with the United States and with the
international alliance against terrorism. Being Muslim
countries, with their own problems, none of them are squeaking or
crying foul, they are trying to address their own problems on their
own.

And in these conditions, the continued application of Jackson-Vanik
amendment to Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, and so on and so forth, one
wouldn't call it justified and just. We need to, and want
to, build a new relationship in the new 21st century.